Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The Great Pacifier Debate

My husband I don't see eye-to-eye when it comes to many parenting decisions. And I love it that way. I am way less of the hippi-type mama I thought I'd be, but instead tend to read every book and blog and article I can get my hands on. Then I attempt to carry out some perfect combination of expert advice with pro-parent precision. Only setting myself, and my son, up to fail.
My husband on the other hand is much less absorbed into the "parenting" of parenting and instead just is a dad. He loves our little dude and tends to choose the path of least resistance. So, in our efforts to "train" our baby to become a "good" sleeper we all hit a wall. One morning nap he woke up and simply would not be consoled. I was crying, he was crying, and finally I plunked in his pacifier. *gasp And you know what, it worked. He slept and I continued to ball my eyes out at the epic fail I was until my husband found me at the kitchen table googling every possible combo of -pacifier -sleep -training -effects that I could think up. My hubs simply did not see what all the fuss was about. If it soothes our son and helps him sleep, big whoop. I, on the other hand, had been grooming our boy to become the world's best sleeper since he was just a few weeks old. No swings, no vibrations on his bouncy chair, set him down in his crib for naps, try to soothe him back to sleep with the least possible intervention and without picking him up when possible, and absolutely no paci expect to aide with napping when he was stuck in his carseat.
I tortured myself over our increasing use of the pacifier to assist with sleep. Then a quick call to my sleep lady and what do you know, Shaun was right. I was never so happy to be wrong. We now have a new, pacifier included, sleep plan that works for us. He now goes down "drowsy, but awake" with his binky. And I am over it. We are not weak for needing a little silicon nipple. And even if we are, we're happy.